


We Are Not Beautiful

by orphan_account



Series: We Are Not Beautiful [2]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Attacks, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Casual Sex, F/F, F/M, Gay Sex, Lesbian Sex, M/M, Multi, Multi partner sex, Self-Discovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:14:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22563832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Minthe begins the long journey to happiness, discovering things she didn’t know as she works to better herself.
Relationships: Hermes/Thanatos (Lore Olympus), Minthe/Thanatos (Lore Olympus)
Series: We Are Not Beautiful [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1583164
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	We Are Not Beautiful

Minthe pulled wine bottles from the bag, setting each one carefully on the counter as she listened to Thetis chatter about Zeus and Hera. They had gone over the same conversation so many times that she didn’t need to pay attention to a word Thetis said; she didn’t need to listen to know what Thanatos would say in return, and she didn’t need to engage in the conversation to know when Hermes would interject with a quip aimed at Thetis’ pride. She didn’t register what was being said but she tried to force herself to smile as their laughter broke through the haze of her mind. She folded the paper bag neatly and slid it into the recycling bin, then turned and started putting the wine away. Minthe couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she slid the two bottles of strawberry wine into the fridge; strawberry wine had only become available in the Underworld after Persephone and Hades had officially begun dating, and shortly thereafter became Thetis’ favorite. They weren’t just bottles of strawberry wine, they were a constant reminder of the mistakes that Minthe had made - of what she had done to Hades, of how she had ruined her life and paved the way for someone else to take the happiness that had been within her reach. 

She sighed and closed her eyes as she pressed a hand to her forehead, letting the chill that lingered on her fingers from the cool bottles of wine fade against her skin. She took a deep breath and twisted her lips back into the small smile that she had become so used to wearing. She had learned quickly after Hades had ended the relationship that if she didn’t smile it would only make her life more difficult. Thetis would scowl at her, make off handed comments about Minthe’s attitude bringing her down, and would lecture her about moving on. Thanatos would look at her sympathetically, quietly pitying her as he went out of his way to be far too nice to her, catering to her every need like he thought she would fall apart at any moment. The only one of them who didn’t make her cringe was Hermes; when he noticed the slip in her smile he would simply give her a light squeeze of the hand or a brief hug around her shoulders, a silent acknowledgement of her feelings and an assurance of support were she to request it. Minthe was grateful for Hermes' presence in her life since he and Thanatos had gotten together. His presence was always very comforting and uplifting when Minthe found herself sinking back into her darkness. She was also grateful for how open minded he seemed to be, encouraging her and Thanatos to continue their sexual relationship, even joining in now and then. 

Minthe was used to being vilified by the press, and being despised by the other nymphs in the Underworld; she was used to being looked down on and refused service after what she had done. But she was grateful for the safety and comfort that Thanatos and Hermes had come to represent, for their willingness to remind her of their affection for her when she needed it. Thetis had moved in with her after she had been suspended from Underworld Corp, claiming that she didn’t want Minthe to be alone, but Minthe suspected it was simply to have a front row seat to her misery, hardening her resolve to pin the smile to her face and shove down any sign of the waves of desperation that had become her new normal over the last year. 

She pulled the wine glasses down from the rack and set them up on the island before uncorking the last bottle of wine. Minthe sighed as she poured, filling each glass halfway with the same hyperfocus that had helped her drown out Thetis’ never ending bitching. Hermes appeared in front of her, his featherlight footsteps always silent as he walked through her apartment. He leaned over the counter top across from her and gave her a winning grin, one that he knew would coax a genuine smile from Minthe regardless of her mood, and he gave her arm a light pat. 

“Thinking about him again, love?” 

Minthe shook her head and sighed. “No,” she responded quietly, “I just don’t really want to hear her talking about that huge, purple dick anymore.”

“Well, I’ve heard it’s actually pretty small.” Hermes winked and flashed her a wicked grin before picking up a glass of wine and swirling the transparent pink liquid in the glass. 

Minthe shook her head at him and suppressed a giggle. “I don’t give a fuck how big or small it is, I’m just sick of hearing about it. She knows he’s never going to leave Hera, why even bother?” 

Hermes nodded at her solemnly, giving her his full attention as she spoke quietly. They both knew that Minthe’s spirit had been somewhat broken, she didn’t even have the urge to snark with Thetis and Thanatos most days. Hermes had always been the one to quietly listen when Minthe had something serious to say about her feelings. 

She gave him a small shrug and pursed her lips as she corked the bottle and set it to the side. When she turned back to him, a small pink card at the far end of the island caught her eye. “What is that?”

Hermes raised his brows and looked over. He reached for the card and flipped it over between his fingers as he looked at it, “I’m not sure.” He read for a moment, his face going blank as his eyes scanned the pink paper. He sighed and laid it on the counter, face down, “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it honey.”

Minthe narrowed her eyes at him, “Hermes, what is it?”

“You really shouldn’t worry about it.” 

She reached for it but Hermes laid his hand down on top of it before she could pick it up, “Are you kidding? Just let me see it.” 

“Minthe, do you trust me?” She narrowed her eyes further, setting her jaw as she nodded her head slowly, “Okay, so then leave it alone.”

Minthe rolled her eyes and shrugged, “Fine.” 

Hermes nodded and took a sip of wine, but the moment he moved his hand Minthe snatched the card from the counter top. “Minthe!” He lunged for the card but she stepped out of his reach as she turned it around and started reading. 

The room started spinning as she tried to read, but her eyes couldn’t focus. She could easily pick out a few of the words, _invited_ , _wedding_ , _Hades_ , and _Persephone_. She barely registered the date of the wedding - a week away - before she felt her knees buckle. She had no idea when Hermes had moved to stand behind her, but he caught her against his chest and held her tightly against him. She could hear the murmur of his words, the vibration of his voice in his chest, but Minthe was lost in a haze of her own despair. Her breath quickened as panic overtook her. Tears pricked at her eyes as they began to slip down her cheeks and Minthe clutched at Hermes’ arms, desperately trying to anchor herself as her emotions took over. She pulled in a painful gasp, her chest tight as it swelled against Herme’s steadying grip, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t getting enough air. 

Thanatos’ face appeared in her vision, somehow clear amidst the anxiety that had her in a vice-like grip. He smoothed her hair off her forehead before cupping her face in his hands and pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. Thanatos looked up at Hermes as he pulled Minthe into his arms, carrying her bridal style against his chest. “I’ve got her,” he assured Hermes. 

Minthe wrapped her arms around herself as Thanatos held her close to him and walked to her bedroom. She couldn’t hear him, but she was sure that Hermes was following closely behind, his silent footsteps never far when he knew that she wasn’t okay. Thanatos sat on the bed with Minthe in his lap, still holding her tight against him, his thumb moving in comforting circles on her arm. She forced herself to inhale, matching her breathing to the rise and fall of Thanatos’ chest. 

Thetis appeared in the doorway beside Hermes, a scowl settling on her face as she crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s her problem?”

Hermes shot her a sideways glance, his voice laced with annoyance. “She found the wedding invitation that _someone_ left on the counter.”

“Oh so this is _my_ fault? It really shouldn’t be a big deal, she knew they would get married eventually. _Everyone knew_.” 

“Are you kidding? So, the next time I have invitations to any of Zeus and _Hera’s_ parties, I can just leave them lying around for you to see? It shouldn’t be a big deal because _everyone knows_ , right?”

“Whatever,” Thetis spat venomously as she turned away, “Let me know when she’s done having her meltdown.” 

“Just _go_ . No one needs you here for this.” Hermes shooed her away. “It’s not like you’re _ever_ any help.” 

Minthe released a shuddering breath, fighting the sobs that threatened to overtake her as she tried to calm herself. Thanatos brought a hand back to her hair, smoothing it down as he rocked her gently. “It’s okay, sweetie. Let it out.” Minthe focused on his voice, using it as a beacon to follow as she tried to bring herself back to her calm, numb reality. 

She had no idea how long she sat curled against Thanatos’ chest, Hermes leaning in the door frame as a protective barrier between her and Thetis. But as the anxiety and despair faded from her mind, a new anxiety quickly set in. She set a scowl on her face, furrowing her delicate brows in a show of annoyance as she internally panicked at the thought of how weak and broken she must look. She straightened her back and elbowed Thanatos just sharp enough to get his attention. “I’m fine, get off me.” 

Thanatos grinned, relieved to see her guarded attitude returning. “Technically you’re on _me_ , Minthe.”

She rolled her eyes and shrugged his arms off before pulling herself from his lap. “Whatever,” she half-heartedly snapped at him. “I’m fine, I’m over it.” She smoothed the front of her dress and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Is my wine still in the kitchen?” Thanatos nodded with a smirk and Minthe spun towards the door, giving her hips a slight sway as she moved to leave. Hermes straightened in the doorway, blocking her exit as he looked her up and down with an appraising glance. “ _I’m fine_.” 

He tucked a hair behind her ear, still laying flat against her hair, and gave her a small smile. “I know you are, honey. Just making sure you look fine too.” She rolled her eyes at him and slipped through the door. He glanced up at Thanatos who was watching her with a worried gaze before turning to follow her, giving her ass a light smack and earning a yelp as she walked down the hall. 

… … … … … … … … … 

Hermes sighed as he leaned against the headboard and watched Thanatos change into flannel pants. His amber eyes roamed appreciatively over Thanatos’ lean, muscular body, lingering on the incredibly low position of the waistband of his pants and the seductive v of the muscles between his hips. He pulled a tee shirt out of his drawer and began to shrug it over his arms when Hermes cleared his throat, Thanatos looked over at him, brows raised in question. “Leave it off,” Hermes said with a small wink and a smile. 

Thanatos rolled his eyes at Hermes but put the shirt away, indulging the soft tone that Hermes had so artfully used to get what he wanted. He turned to Hermes and leaned back against the dresser, crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you think she’s okay?” 

Hermes couldn’t help but smile at him, always so touched by the genuine concern and affection that Thanatos showed for Minthe. “She’s just down the hall, why don’t you go check on her?” 

He shook his head, “No, I think she finally fell asleep. I know she hates our guest room but I just couldn’t leave her with Thetis after that.” 

Hermes nodded at him, his smile faltering as he thought back to Minthe’s anxiety attack upon seeing the wedding invitation. “I know, you were right to bring her home with us.”

Thanatos sighed and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked back at Hermes. “You know she did that intentionally. She did _not_ ‘forget’ that invitation. She swiped it from Zeus to see how much it would upset her.”

“I know, but what can we do? Thetis is living in her apartment until things blow over on Olympus, and you know Minthe won’t move out of the Underworld - neither of you will.” 

Thanatos opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted with a gentle rapping on the door. They both looked over as Minthe cracked the door and peaked in at them. Her bright chestnut eyes glistening with unshed tears as she looked back and forth between them. 

“I’m sorry if I’m interrupting. I just…”

Thanatos glanced back at Hermes, who was already pulling back the covers and beckoning for Minthe to crawl into their bed. “We have plenty of room, honey.” 

Minthe gave him a small, grateful smile before gingerly walking to the bed. She tugged insecurely at her night gown, wrapping her arms around herself before climbing into the bed and tucking her feet under the comforter. She sat for a moment, her eyes locked on Thanatos before Hermes wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest, pressing his lips in a light kiss to her shoulder as Thanatos leaned towards her and captured her lips with his own. Thanatos cupped her face gently in his hands, tilting her chin to his so that he could dip his tongue into her mouth as Hermes’ hand crept over her stomach, she pulled a sharp gasp in through her lips as his fingers traced her nipples and Thanatos trailed his lips over her jaw and down her neck. He pulled her hands away from her body, lacing his fingers in hers and opening her arms to him as Hermes dipped a hand beneath the silken top of her nightgown, his fingers deftly tracing circles around her nipples as he gently bit her shoulder. 

Minthe sat between the two of them, her body leaning into Hermes’ chest as Thanatos gently lifted her hands, stretching her arms upwards as Hermes slid her nightgown over her head and tossed it to the floor. She closed her eyes as she focused on their hands and lips, the touches traveling softly over her skin and washing away the anxiety and insecurity that had been sitting heavily in her chest. She knew that their affection was no more than a band-aid, they never failed to ease the emotions that knotted in her stomach with the loving caresses and fluttering kisses. Her thoughts trailed off as Hermes’ hand slipped into her panties and his finger lightly traced over her slick opening, teasing her as her head fell back against his shoulder and Thanatos’ lips found her nipple, his mouth closing over the mulberry circle of nerves as she gasped in pleasure. Minthe reached up and snaked a hand around Hermes’ neck, turning her face to him and pressing her lips to his neck as he watched Thanatos. 

Thanatos gently spread her knees farther apart as Hermes dipped a finger into her warm center, coaxing a low moan of yearning from her as she pressed her face to his neck. He moved his finger slowly, caressing her as he teased her clit with the heel of his hand. Minthe shivered as pleasure rippled through her, the combination of sensations, the contrast between Hermes light, teasing touch and Thanatos’ firm, thrilling ministrations pushing her quickly to the edge of her pleasure. 

Heat bloomed at her core and Minthe’s body vibrated almost violently, an intense climax ripped through her muscles as Hermes added a second finger and moved deeper inside of her. Her hips ground against his hand, her body begging for more as she panted and moaned against his neck. Her other hand gripped Thanatos’ shoulder, clinging to him as he sucked hard on her nipple, his hand snaking up to the base of her throat as she rode the orgasm to completion. 

Her body relaxed against Hermes, soft and pliant as the tension faded in the wake of her climax. The tightness in her chest had eased significantly, their physical attentions serving as gentle reminders that she wasn’t universally hated, that despite the things she had done there were still at least two beings who desired her. Minthe ran her fingertips along Thanatos’ shoulders, wondering silently if anyone would be able to truly love her, or if this was all she deserved in life. 


End file.
